


This Between You And I

by Fuse



Series: Caught In The Grey [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Video Game)
Genre: Best Friends, Betrayal, Blood and Injury, Dark Magic, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Families of Choice, Friends as Family, Friendship, Gen, Genderfluid Character, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Merula Snyde Redemption, Mild Blood, Morally Ambiguous Character, Trans Male Character, Wizarding Politics (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27663799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fuse/pseuds/Fuse
Summary: A lot can change in just a few years,  though nothing could have prepared Cyra for how much things were to change once sixth year started.From feelings coming to bloom to a betrayal that shook her team to its core. She finds herself grasping at destiny and making decisions that would change her life forever.
Relationships: Merula Snyde/Original Character(s)
Series: Caught In The Grey [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1957351
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	1. Prologue

Cyra had thought she knew what it was like to be angry, to feel worthless, to even  _ hate. _ After all, hadn't Merula been at least somewhat of an introduction to those emotions all those years ago?

Hadn't she grew to despise the girl before their third year of schooling had set them on a different path? Hadn't she cursed her in anger time and again?

Yet this anger that she knew, the hatred she had begun to realize over the years held no candle mark to the unadulterated fury that she would come to know her Sixth year at Hogwarts. 

No, nothing would have prepared her for the events that had started to unravel everything that she—and on another note, Merula—had built trust in.

  
  


In hindsight, the events that took place that august  _ should  _ have been an omen but Cyra had never been one for divination and had been much more concerned about the happenings in Kinvara and a certain manor house in Clarinbridge. 

Maybe a bit  **_too_ ** concerned about the happenings on in Clarinbridge.

  
  
  


She had been alone the weekend that it all had happened, the headlines of the daily profit declaring an attack on a muggle settlement with theories of death eaters and a return on the dark lord himself filling the front page.

Though she  _ knew  _ Rita Skeeter and knew exactly what kind of fear-mongering that nosey old hag could conduct. 

So she ignored it for the most part, although she felt bad for the four muggles that had been found dead in their own home, the result of the killing curse.

However, it was what happened that night that really should have been an indicator of what was to come. 

  
  
  


It had been late at night, much later than Cyra should have been up, though an advanced book of potions lay before her on the table and the last scroll of summer homework sealed neatly on the table before her.

That was when the fireplace blazed green, causing her to be on her feet in an instant, hand on her wand. 

That was until the person turned and cast a spell onto the fireplace, effectively severing it from the floo network.

It was then that Cyra noticed how shakey the wand movement was. Something was wrong, though it was only when Cyra lit the rest of the lamps in the room that she saw  _ how  _ wrong.

"Frilly Fucking Hell, Merula! What happened?"


	2. Scapegoat and the Loyalty of Snakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cyra gets a good look at what happened to Merula and discovers some of her rival's history.

**Trigger warning: mentions of physical violence.**

  
  


Examining the other girl made her stomach knot in ways that it hadn't since Cyra had watched a Unicorn's foaling go terribly wrong but even this, this was worse.

The shorter girl's body was covered with bruises and burns, though the worst was the blood that caked her clothing.

It made Cyra's blood boil, especially since the Merula she knew hadn't run away from anything. Yet that was exactly what she had done tonight.

"Merula," she tried again, taking note of her stiff posture and the way she seemed to be breathing irregularly. 

_ She's trying to appear strong. Merlin be damned, she doesn't have to do that! She knows that! Not with me. _

Cyra thought as she removed her wand, setting about healing most of the minor wounds, unsure where the blood was coming from.

"What happened?" 

Merula shuddered at the question and Cyra decided not to press again.

"I'm going to have to touch you to see where this blood is coming from. Is that okay?" 

A nod was the only answer she got but Cyra knew that was enough, though as she ran her hand along the fabric she became aware of the long gashes that were cut there.

And into her skin.

"Bloody hell." 

She muttered, recognizing the cut pattern as one spell in particular. After all, the cuts were too deliberate to be the same one that she and Merula had practiced at thirteen.

No this was the severing charm, meant for clothing or maybe even food. It was sometimes used in advanced duels but never school organized ones and this was the reason.

They could have killed her had they put more energy into the spell.

"Was this your fucking aunt's doing?" 

Merula let out a shuddery breath as she glanced over at her, violet eyes unnaturally glazed.

"No. She can be a bitch but she would  _ never _ do this." 

Cyra touched the wounds, tracing her wand over them as she repeated the song-like incantation that they had learned together from the pilfered potions book Merula had stolen from somewhere.

As soon as the cuts were healed Cyra sighed and stood, gingerly touching Merula's shoulder.

"You can borrow some of my clothes. I'll go put on some tea and send an owl to my Aunt. She's out in the southern plains tonight with a Griffon." 

  
  


Cyra hurried to write the letter, taking note of how the room was deathly quiet and how Merula was still staring at nothing. Once the owl was gone, she returned her attention to the other girl. 

"Do you think I could kill someone?" 

The question caught Cyra off-guard, though she quickly shook her head. 

"Remember when Ariel Shelly's cat killed that puffskien? You hid it from everyone but you almost cried. Sure, you showed me the killing curse  _ but  _ that was on an enlarged spider. I...you're not a murderer, Merula." 

She saw Merula shudder at those words, eyes squeezing closed as she responded

"My parents were." 

  
  


It all clicked for Cyra then. This attack, whoever it was, had probably made this attack to make her pay for the actions of her parents.

"Merlin be damned! You are not your parents, Merula! Is that what happened? Did someone…" 

Cyra was shaking as she spoke, earning a sniff from Merula.

"They blame me for the murders in Kinvara. I don't even leave the house unless it is to get necessities." 

Cyra didn't know who  _ they  _ were but whoever it was were nothing but cowards. To attack a  **_barely_ ** sixteen-year-old  _ child  _ with spells that could easily  **_kill_ ** an adult.

"I know," Cyra said, wishing she could do something to ease the other girl's nerves.

"You can stay here until school starts then we'll be seventeen next year. We can do whatever the hell we want."

  
  


Cyra knew this was a long shot but ignoring the blood-soaked clothing, she moved to put an arm around the other girl.

"Felten, I swear if you are trying to make me go mushy I will…" 

Merula choked out, though having to trail off as her voice broke. 

"No, I just figure after what happened...This was the normal response." 

Cyra responded before sighing.

"Come on, I'll show you the bathroom and get you something comfortable to change into."

* * *

Cyra tried to keep her mind off of the muffled sounds that were obvious from the bathroom, figuring that Merula could use the privacy, after all, she knew how her rival valued her self-efficient ways. 

She had begun heating leftovers, figuring Merula would need some sort of potion before bed. 

That was exactly what she was doing when her Aunt came into the house.

"Cyra? What happened?"

  
  


Cyra closed her eyes and sighed. 

"Merula came here via floo covered in her own blood. I...I don't know what happened but she was afraid she was followed, she severed our floo from the floo network." 

She replied, watching as the usually bright blue eyes turned stormy.

"I'll call Waldhar and have him go to the Snyde place and get her clothes. She can stay here. I am not about to send a girl back to a place where she may not be safe." 

Cyra managed a nod as she moved to put more wood on the fire.

"I healed the wounds best I could but I need Dittany, a blood replenishing potion, and a draught of dreamless sleep. Think we have that in the cellar?"

"I'll go check. I think we do."

"Thanks, Hellen. I need to go make space for her to sleep. Can you ask Charles if he will go into town tomorrow? We will need more supplies with Merula here." 

Hellen just nodded as she left the room, calling over her shoulder.

"Will do." 


	3. Of Weaknesses and Strengths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merula opens up a little to Cyra and Cyra shows hints of her darkness.

"It's not like I don't appreciate it but I don't  **_need_ ** you, Felten." 

Merula hated how pathetic she felt. How she had  _ run away  _ from the only home she had ever known just because her neighbors had attacked her.

Was she going soft? Had being around these sentimental dolts really affected her that much? 

"Already know this, Snyde. We've been friends for what? Three years now? You've dislocated my shoulder, broke my ankle, and I  _ still _ have a scar on my chest from where you exploded that training manikin. I  _ know _ how strong you are."

Cyra's nearly deadpan voice came from the bathroom that was set adjacent to the bedroom they were sharing.

_ You aren't strong. If you were then you wouldn't have just did enough to knock them back then  _ **_ran_ ** _ to the first secluded place you could think of. _

Merula mentally berated herself from where she sat on the bed, cocooned in blankets despite the fact the pajamas she had borrowed 

  
  


"Now we know why my mum taught me that killing curse." Merula muttered just as Cyra reentered the room, earning a look.

  
  


"If that spell wasn't illegal I would agree with you. How many were there anyway?" 

Cyra responded though Merula could hear the venom in her tone.

_ Was Cyra actually agreeing with her on something? She never spoke of the unforgivable curses like that. _

"At  _ least _ four. By the time I knocked one back, I was being blindsided by a body binding spell." 

  
  


"By Merlin, that's fucked up." 

  
  


Cyra sounded tired, angry, and honestly maybe even a little dangerous. Especially since she kept swearing harshly with nearly every statement, something Merula had noticed was an indicator of the other girl's lack of patience during their fourth year.

"Cowards more like it." Merula remarked, earning a scoff.

"More like bloody couarts." 

Merula couldn't help but snort amusement at the word.

"I dare you to call Copper that." 

She commented, earning a groan as Cyra made a show of flopping back onto the bed beside her.

"Ben Copper wouldn't even know what a Couart  _ was _ ." 

  
  


Sometimes it surprised Merula how things had changed. The girl who was little miss perfect was no longer there, having fallen prey to both Tonks' influence and her desire to become stronger. 

_ Sometimes the desire to protect someone unleashes the most powerful magic of all. _

She recalled Professor Flitwick explaining during a private conversation between the three as Cyra questioned about spell creation, now she wondered if perhaps that was true. 

Perhaps ancient magic was far stronger than modern magic regarding emotion, not laws prohibiting spells like the killing curse.

"I need to let my aunt know what happened. She might not care much but even she will be curious if she finds the house empty." 

Merula said after a while, earning a nod.

"Of course, you should remember where everything is." 

* * *

Even though Merula had been to the reserve multiple times throughout the last few years, the welcoming atmosphere was always a surprise.

Especially since Hellen had known her parents and had not passed any real judgment toward her. 

Unlike most.

Even Cyra had passed judgment at first, though that was long ago and the years seemed to have won Cyra's loyalty. 

Somehow.

Merula still wasn't sure how that had happened exactly.

"You can either take the bed or the cot." 

Cyra's voice broke her from her thoughts, the familiarity of the tone causing her to relax.

"The cot is fine. Don't plan on sleeping." 

Merula retorted, earning a sigh.

"Alright, but there is a dreamless sleep draught if you want it." 

  
  


* * *

Cyra muttered to herself as she sent a blast toward the bale of hay, not even noticing her aunt standing there until the hay burst into flame.

"Underaged magic?" 

The comment just caused the sixteen-year-old to sigh and mutter a water-conjuring spell to douse the flame.

"I'm pissed off. Grown arse magicians rendered a  **_girl_ ** helpless to basically torture the truth from her! They blamed her for the deaths down in Kinvara! Just because of who her Merlin be damned parents were!"

If the swearing offended Hellen, she didn't mention it.

"Would have liked to have seen what she would have done to them if they gave her a fighting chance. I remember you two sparring that one summer...Miracle you two didn't kill each other." 

She commented, earning a look from Cyra.

"They did a body bind on her...If they didn't she could have fought back. Gods, I've never seen her the way she was tonight." 

She felt her aunt's hand on her shoulder and leaned into the touch.

"They should be forced to swear truth under blood oath." 

Cyra didn't trust herself to speak, though she knew exactly what her aunt meant by that.

"Pretty sure the ministry won't give a damn. Seems like they didn't even care that their testifying witness was a ten-year-old girl speaking at her own parent's trial." 

She eventually said, venom dripping from each word. 

"Wait….They did what?" 

Cyra closed her eyes and pulled away, glancing up at the bedroom window, finding it dark.

"Merula would probably crucio me if she knew I told you this but they forced a frightened  _ child _ to testify against her own parents once they found her. Stars above know they didn't even go to trial but to force a  _ child  _ to call her parents murderers….and wasn't Albus over the chief warlock during that time?" 

"He  **_still_ ** is." 

Cyra closed her eyes. 

"Then that is why he kept pushing her to get well. He bloody well knows  **_why_ ** she is so traumatized.' 

She wondered if perhaps she had gone too far with the accusation, though her aunt just sighed.

"When you get older, we'll discuss the entirety of the war and how the politics of the wizard community affected the war. Just try not to blame Dumbledore too much for the happenings during the war." 

  
  


For some reason, the comment relit the anger inside Cyra. Who turned to face her.

"What? I'm not  _ old enough to understand? _ " She quipped, earning a smirk.

"Oh, you're old enough to hear it. Not old enough to drink, which you will  **_want_ ** to do once you hear all the bullshit that went down thanks to prejudice on **_both_** sides." 

  
"Okay, now you have to tell me why you say that."  
  



	4. The Dark Truth Of War

"If they even expected a connection, there was no trial. They just threw them into Azkaban. What in the circles of hell did they get from interrogating a child?" 

  
  


Cyra had never heard Charles sound so disgusted by anything as she sat near their tent listening to the events of the war.

"Look what happened with Sirius Black. I refuse to believe that man betrayed the potters. He and James were like brothers."

Hellen's comment caused Cyra to glance over at her, brows furrowed.

"You knew the potters?" 

Hellen sighed before nodding, eyes training on the fire.

"I was several years older than them, A matter of fact I was in the same year as that Defense Professor of yours but I remember them well enough. They could be jerks but what teenager isn't?" 

Cyra wasn't sure what to think about all of this that they were telling her, though she was starting to regret asking because she was starting to desire fire whisky. 

Or to move to America.

Or both.

"There were no trials? That makes no sense." She commented, not even noticing that anyone else was out there until Merula's voice came from behind her.

  
  


"Yeah well, what in this bloody world makes sense." 

Cyra turned toward her, feeling her eyes go wide. Just how much had she heard?

"Merula I…" 

  
  


"Belt it, Felten." Merula muttered before sitting beside her, eyes downcasted.

  
  


_ She definitely had been listening for some time. _

Cyra knew, though the other girl just seemed downcasted and not angry.

At least not real anger.

"The war brought out the worst in both sides. There will always be those who hold to old discriminations, which can be expected with the chaos of the five-century timore being a testament of muggle cruelty but blind revenge is  **_just_ ** as terrible no matter which side you be on." 

Charles spoke, the firelight causing his glasses to cast odd shadows over his face, causing him to seem older than he was.

"What is so terrible about it? If someone killed the people I loved I'd be hell-bent to get them." Cyra spoke, taking notice of Merula's shocked expression, and felt the heat crawl into her face.

"Think like this. Imagine if you were faced with a  **_rumor_ ** of someone being guilty of something and you acted against this person with no proof. There is a chance of their innocence, right?" 

He responded and Cyra found herself growing quiet.

"Like the witch hunts. Everyone and their dog could have been accused and jailed for association with death eaters. Of course, money talks louder than an innocent plea." 

Merula's blunt statement caused her to glance between the pair of adults, both of whom looked grim at the statement.

"Pretty much. It was pretty much a given that Lucius Malfoy was a death eater. A high ranking one at that." 

Hellen agreed after several minutes of collective silence.

Cyra noticed the way Merula's brow furrowed, recognizing the quiet fury that was painted across her face. 

Cyra recalled all too easily how Merula had spoken about Lucius their second year.

_ It must be common knowledge, then. _ She thought as she moved to put a hand on Merula's, earning a look though the other girl didn't pull away for several minutes.

"I'm going for a walk."

  
  


She eventually said, standing.

* * *

It was odd, hearing about the war from someone who didn't practically worship the ministry. Merula didn't understand why taking lives was necessary although she did like the idea of a type of segregation from muggles.

Not death or discrimination but more like what the MACUSA had in place. As for those muggle-born, well there was a lot they needed to be educated on before joining wizard society.

Not that most would even try to understand that stance or  **_why_ ** one would think the way she did.

Not that she  **_hadn't_ ** been the other sort of pure blood before, though she couldn't shake the logic in some of the ideals. 

  
  


As she walked she let her mind wonder. To Cyra and the curses they had broken the previous years. To the arguments between Penny and Cyra that ended with the two becoming not exactly friends, although she had the suspicion that the friendship had been on ice since the event early third year.

Glancing up at the sky she took note of the full moon, wondering how Chiara was holding up without the potion she needed.

Anything but the things that she had been thinking about previously, lest she lose control of the emotion that she had. 

  
  



	5. Imprints and prefects

The week leading up to their return to Hogwarts was uneventful, though both Cyra and Merula had found it odd to board the train at the same time.

"See you in the dorms I guess," Cyra said before they split into their friend groups, earning a smirk.

"Unfortunately."

Cyra rolled her eyes at the comment and shrunk her trunk and pocketed it just as Ismelda and Barnaby came into view, both alone.

That was until a platinum blonde second year came rushing over causing the four older students to exchange glances.

Merula arched a brow while Cyra bit her tongue to keep from laughing at the flustered and shocked expression.

Not to mention how it was obvious the said blonde was trying to duplicate Ismelda's style of dress.

"Let's hope she doesn't start smelling like Ismelda," Merula muttered, earning a glare from Ismelda and an elbow to the ribs from Cyra, which she easily dodged.

"Come on, let's get on the train before any bullshit starts." Merula continued, earning a groan from Cyra who knew exactly what she meant.

"Yeah, I need to find Rowan, Chiara, and Tonks. Especially Chiara." 

* * *

  
  


"What is going on between you and Penny anyway? She was giving you a death glare on the way in." Chiara asked as they settled into a compartment.

"After the shit last year with the portrait vault, Beatrice practically imprinted on Ismelda like a duckling," Cyra responded, glancing outside of the window. "Penny went mental and started wanting me to destroy their friendship."

  
  


Rowan arched a brow at that, glancing up from their book.

"Well, Ismelda is pretty….Intimidating."

  
  


They stated, earning a scoff from Cyra.

"She is a fruit bat masquerading as a bloody anaconda." 

She quipped before chuckling and adding 

"She may be comfortable with the dark arts but she is  **_mostly_ ** harmless...unless she is given a reason to take offense anyway." 

"Oh, so she was mostly harmless when she attacked you in our fourth year? You were in the hospital wing for a week due to blood loss!" 

Tonks reminded her, earning a sigh.

"Yeah...Because Merula had never cast an advanced healing spell before and I tore myself a new one on the cobblestones in the courtyard. Just...Trust me on this. Ismelda is pretty harmless." 

Cyra explained though everyone knew that she was keeping something from them. Something that  _ made  _ her think of Ismelda in a different light.

"Besides Beatrice is a twelve-year-old girl and as cruel as Ismelda  **_can_ ** be...She's not going to seriously harm a child. Especially not one who has been through hell."

  
  


* * *

Cyra sighed as she changed out of her usual wear into her school robes, grateful that the bathrooms were not crowded as she was very much not looking forward to the chaos that she knew would come from the drama from last year.

Her original group of friends had divided with Ben taking Penny's side while Chiara and Tonks hadn't seen the harm in letting Beatrice befriend Ismelda as long as it proved not to be a bad influence.

Rowan, as usual, didn't take a side. Especially since they still didn't necessarily like Merula.

Thankfully that was the only drama that would be following her that year, as Skye seemed to have grown up at least somewhat over the last two years.

"I swear she acts like I'm a baby!" 

Cyra inwardly groaned as she heard the voices enter the bathroom and tried her best to tune them out as she gathered her clothes and headed out of the stall.

Only to nearly run into Merula as she was heading out of the actual bathroom. 

"Shit! Sorry!" 

"Watch it!" 

They spoke at the same time, earning a bit of a laugh from some lost-looking first years who were probably lost.

"Is Haywood around?" 

Cyra whispered, earning a look.

"Pigtails or Mini-murk?" 

Merula retorted, glancing toward the first years.

"Prim and proper." 

Cyra retorted, earning a snort of amusement. 

"After she stormed off after trying to stop Beatrice from sitting with us? No idea."

"Thank gods. I do not need to deal with  **_that_ ** right now."

With that Cyra headed back to her friends, pausing only to buy a load of sweets from the trolly.

* * *

Showing the new students to the Slytherin dungeons was always interesting, especially since it never failed that every year they saw  **_something_ ** in the basement that freaked them out.

Muggleborns especially.

This particular incident involved a kelpie and a window in the common room.

"Oh hell, that son of a bitch is back." 

Merula grumbled, earning a chuckle from Cyra and gasps from the first years that were listening.

"How much do you bet Hagrid is going to ensnare  _ us  _ into getting rid of him?" Cyra retorted, earning a sigh.

"I will if he pays me ten galleons or convinces someone to award me extra credit. That f…." 

Cyra shoved her hat in Merula's face to cut her off.

"Yeah me too...Or lets me turn him into sushi." 

  
  
  
  
  



	6. Of Seahorses and Hearts

The first week went without incident though there was a new rule about staying away from waterways thanks to the kelpie quite nearly dragging a first-year underwater. 

However, late on that following Friday Cyra was lying in the courtyard when someone roughly prodded her side with their foot, causing her to groan and glare up.

"What?" 

She was not surprised to see her roommate standing over her.

"Hagrid wants to talk to us. Hope you like sushi."

Cyra let out a groan as she sat up.

"Oh Bloody hell."

  
  


"Tell me about it." 

* * *

  
  


"Oh for Merlin's sake! Hold still you fucking overgrown water horse!" 

"Merula, yelling at it is not going to help!" 

"Can you two idiots stop bickering and actually get that thing under control? I can only use the tempest spell so long before I get tired!" Ismelda shouted over to them from her broom.

"Fuck this." Merula muttered as she glanced over at Cyra "I'm gonna cast a spell and as soon as he slows down, use the placement charm to get that bridle on him!"

Cyra only nodded her response and as the creature shot out of the water toward Ismelda, Merula shouted her spell, putting all her intentions and energy behind it.

"Petrificus Totalus!" 

Like clockwork, Cyra levitated the bridle into place causing the creature to go into some sort of trance, panting and snorting on top of the water but otherwise harmless.

"Now you find something to do with it, Hagrid! I'm done chasing sea horses!" Cyra called as they came to land, the creature snorting his dislike on Merula who came too close.

Something that caused both Cyra and Hagrid to laugh while Ismelda winced in sympathy.

  
  


"I'm going back to the dorms before I turn that overgrown sardine into cat food." 

* * *

"I thought Liz was going to faint when you said that!"

"Liz nearly faints if you eat a mince pie in front of her. What else is new!" 

"True but you were being an ass!"

"Ass? What are you? American now?" 

"Oh shut up."

Rowan was not at all surprised by the echoing banter as the Slytherins they had been waiting on emerged from the hidden doorway in the dank hall, their voices echoing about the stone.

It was odd really, how they spoke because while they did not get on like typical friends, there was a friendliness to their exchanges most of the time.

Something that Rowan was still surprised by. What had happened in third year that had made Cyra ignore the barbs taken at her until the fire between them had turned into nothing but hot coals that only sometimes was stoked back to a low flame?

"What did you two do?" 

Rowan asked as soon as they came into view, Merula sporting a shirt Rowan instantly recognized as Cyra's as it had the name of a muggle singer across the front.

"Herded a Kelpie away from the school," Merula grumbled, brushing past them in an obvious mood.

"You were right, she  **_is_ ** like a cat. If she gets wet she starts hissing." 

Cyra explained, earning a shouted 

"I can still hear you, you know!"

Rowan couldn't help but snicker at the pair since that was the one thing that never changed between them.

"Come on, we have a club meeting today. Also, Rath has been asking about you." 

Rowan said before Cyra could retort something back to Merula, taking her arm to make her hurry along.

"Rath? Why? About me quitting quidditch?"

"Also about the melodrama between you and Skye." 

Cyra's groan spoke numbers.

"We dated for four months, she was overdramatic, we broke up, end of discussion. Why is Rath asking so many questions anyway?" 

"Rumor has it that she might have a crush." 

"Then date her!" 

Cyra didn't have time to dodge the swat aimed at her shoulder.

"You know I don't have time to date!" 

Rowan retorted before adding "what about you and Talbot? You two hang out a lot nowadays." 

Cyra let out a snort of amusement.

"He's a sweetheart and easy on the eyes but he's taken besides, we're better as friends."

The conversation turned to regular banter as they made their way toward the courtyard. 

"So how is Satana? You seemed worried about her in the middle of summer." 

Rowan asked, adjusting their glasses.

"Better. She's still pretty much locked in that cabin in self-appointed exile. I'm sorta hoping that if Chiara writes to her, she'll snap out of it."

"That has to be a shock. I mean from what you've told me about your cousins and uncle...having  _ that _ ." 

Rowan retorted, earning a sigh.

"You have no idea. My cousins are as creepy as dementors and my uncle is a total jackass. No wonder Adrik needs therapy. Living with that mess." 

Cyra's words caught Rowan's attention because even after becoming closer to her Paternal family she never fully mentioned her uncle or cousins outside of the distant cousin Adrik.

"What about your grandma? What was your stay with her really like?

Cyra chuckled as she turned to make a show at walking backward.

"She's a pureblooded old witch that has dark artifacts in a showcase in her house, which is huge. She doesn't hold much to blood purity either, says hard work beats inner bred talent any day. Evidently, they knew a very powerful muggle-born." 

  
  


This news came as a surprise.

"Wasn't she Slytherin?" 

"I am gonna assume she mellowed with age."


End file.
